


Picking up coffee

by firehawk05



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 10:34:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15749949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firehawk05/pseuds/firehawk05
Summary: Hospital AU where Charles is a Emergency doctor and Erik is a paramedic.  Some possible flirting over really bad coffee.  Fluff.  Fairly Gen.





	Picking up coffee

**Author's Note:**

> Partly inspired by a prompt by Jackyjango: Charles is a doctor and Erik is a paramedic/ambulance driver. ...

“Do you remember when we first met,  Erik?”

 

“Of course I do.  Like it just happened.  Like it was yesterday. Because, wasn’t it just about two weeks ago?”

 

“Bastard.” Charles laughs and aims a punch at his partner.  “You might humor me, for once.” 

 

“Don’t I always…” Erik says in a deadpan tone.  

 

“I remember”, says Charles archly, “It was definitely a horrible,  no good morning. A morning not unlike this one…”

 

Raven rolls her eyes and opens her mouth to object, but she’s too late...too late to stop the inevitable flashback…

 

“Oh no. We’ve heard your side like a million times.” Erik grouses. “I’m telling this one.”

 

===

 

The fluorescent lights of the ambulance bay cast harsh shadows in the predawn gloom. The air is chilly and thick with a clinging damp. 

 

Erik stands in front of a vending machine, contemplating matters of consequence.  

 

===

 

“Wait. Why is this in third person.” Raven interjects. 

 

“I don’t know. Hush so my darling Erik can continue.” Charles says, batting his eyelashes at his partner who rolls his eyes a him. 

 

===

 

Matters of consequence, which, he glances quickly at his watch, 5 am, these would include, but not be limited to, which ridiculously overpriced, cardboard cups of crude, otherwise advertised as coffee, to waste his hard earned money on. 

 

There’s a tap on his shoulder which causes him to whirl around only to find a shorter, tired looking, floppy haired man in rather crumpled hospital scrubs queueing behind him. A velcro name tag stuck at a rakish angle just above the breast pocket of his scrub top proclaims his identity as Dr Xavier. 

 

“Sorry to interrupt. But. I’m simply croaking for some of the caffeinated muck that this vending machine specializes in. So, If you don't mind?”

 

Erik waves him on graciously, stepping aside, watching as the doctor jabs briskly at the buttons and then retrieves a steaming cup of dark fluid from the outlet. 

 

“You look like you need it more anyway.”

 

“Oh thank you. Thank you very much.” The man remarks, sipping at his drink before wrinkling his nose in distaste. When he next replies, there’s a hint of amusement in his voice. 

 

“Between you lot in the ambulances and the general hell at triage, my shift has been quite positively, straight up” Blue eyes glint with mischief as he rolls the consonant “rape.” 

 

Erik’s eyebrows arch upwards as he mentally runs through various replies to that rather bald statement, trying to figure out why his heart suddenly seems to flutter in his chest.  Oh well. Can’t go wrong with keeping it simple. It's really too early for any of this in any case...

 

“Oh really?” 

 

“Get over it Charles. Your luck is always so appalling that every resus shift with you is rape.” Erik’s fellow paramedic, Azazel, butts in. “And before you protest. That observation came from your sister.”

 

“You impugn my reputation and besmirch my honor!” Charles says, laughing.  From inside the resus, comes the unmistakable rattling sound of a trolley, the sound that heralds the arrival of another patient. Charles cocks his head listening, then sighs.  

 

“Sorry.  Gotta go. But. If you can wait around, or come back in, I don’t know, three -ish hours, the guy will come to refill the machine.” He pauses, “Which just means they’ll be simply giving it away.” A startlingly pink tongue flicks across his lips, “for free…” 

 

“I’m guessing you…” Erik thinks quickly, “end your shift around then too?”

 

“Oh. Yes. Or rather. One does hope to end at some point.” He takes another swig of his coffee and arches an eloquent brow, “Although, one suspects, you will probably… finish first.”

 

Oh what the heck, Erik glances around the empty ambulance bay, catching Az’s amused expression, it’s not like there’s anyone here to report them for it. And in any case, he didn’t start it. 

 

“I, can wait.” Then he lets his voice drop a pitch takes one slow step towards the doctor, noting the pale flush of color rising on Xavier’s cheek, “Can you?”  

 

Then he turns around and strides back to the ambulance, calling casually over his shoulder. 

 

“Good luck, Dr Xavier.” 

 

…

 

The sky has lightened to a pale cornflower blue by the time Erik returns to the hospital, courtesy of Az who gave him a lift. 

 

He thanks his colleague politely, stoically ignoring the wolf whistles behind him.  

 

He even exchanges a few words with Raven as she heads towards her husband’s car. 

 

Or rather. Is given a shovel talk along the lines of: “my brother acts like a horndog off duty but he’s professional on the job, an amazing doctor, and more importantly, he’s my brother so if you hurt him, they won't even find your body.” Shovel talk. 

 

===

 

“What.” Raven looks affronted. “Don't look at me like that. I’m being paraphrased. And misquoted...”

 

===

 

Undaunted, he strides towards the entrance, 

When he enters the resus area, Charles is sitting in front of a computer, blearily blinking at the screen, gnawing on his lip. He hammers something else in on the keyboard before looking up and starting in surprise. 

 

“Oh. You came back. Mr?” 

 

“Lensherr.  But. You can call me Erik.”

 

The fog in Charles’ brain seems to clear suddenly and his eyes widen. “Oh. My. God.” 

 

“It’s Erik actually. With a k.”

 

Charles doesn’t seem to have heard him, blue eyes glazed in shock. “You came back?” He squeaks. 

 

“It would seem so. Yes.”

 

“I wasn’t actually joking about the vending machine. But. If you’ll wait a while while I tidy a few things up, I know a better place for coffee that doesn't taste like absolute mouth burning filth…” Charles pauses then blurts out in a rush, “Wanttograbsomethingwithme?”

 

“Ok.” Erik grins toothily, “take your time though. I’ll just go sit outside.”

 

===

 

“Lies and calumny. I was way, way smoother than that.” Charles mutters, trying to keep a straight face. 

 

===

 

It’s nearly an hour before Charles emerges, ruefully ruffled and is barely stopped from flying into a full on apologetic fit when he finds Erik, dozing on a bench, just outside the department.

 

=== 

  
  


“What. I bought you breakfast didn’t I?” Charles 

 

“And knocked over the bottle of maple syrup which flooded the table and got over everything. And then while apologizing to the wait staff, your embarrassed flailing overturned the coffee pot.”

 

“I left them a huge tip.”  

 

Erik tries to look stern.  “It’s your fault that we can never go back to that cafe.”  

 

“In my defense, I was post night.” Charles tosses his head, unrepentant.   

 

“So was I.”  

 

“You brought in half my load that night.”  

 

“You just have disgusting luck.  And no sense of time. And an annoying tendency to micromanage everything.”  Erik reaches across to brush a stray lock of hair at h out of his partner’s eyes. 

 

“But you make the best waffles anyway.”  Charles smiles cheekily as he takes another huge bite of the bacon laden syrupy concoction that he’s managed to psych Erik into making.  

 

“And I love you.”  

“Aww. I love you too.”

 

“Guys.  Get a room.  Geez.” Raven chirps across the breakfast table while Az makes gagging sounds.  

...

 


End file.
